tri wetsuits vs. winsurf wetsuits

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2005-07-03 8:14 AM


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Subject: tri wetsuits vs. winsurf wetsuits
i have been training this summer in a windsurf wetsuit, but have been reading everywhere to get a triathlon specific wetsuit. this seems very expensive, especially since i don't feel any restriction on movement when i swim in my suit (it has a thin flexible material under the arms) and when i am not swimming i already feel very bouyant. this is the only wetsuit i have ever worn, so i don't know what the advantage of an orca or ironman suit would be. what would i get for all that extra money?

2005-07-03 9:41 AM
in reply to: #189205

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Extreme Veteran
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Subject: RE: tri wetsuits vs. winsurf wetsuits
Have you tried one out?

The material is different for one...

The design/cut is different for another...

These are extremely important differences.

Of couse that being said, what distance do you plan of swimming with a windsurf suit? If it's a short 500m swim... then perhaps it may not be much of a big anchor if you wear a windsurf wetsuit (a lot depends upon what kind of windsurf wetsuit you own)... but, if you plan on doing anything much longer, the handicap of a windsurfer suit will exponentially work against you and will make the swim absolutely miserable.

Can you use a windsurfer wetsuit instead of a tri-specific wetsuit? ...Sure, but you can also ride a 25+ lbs. mountain bike with knobby tires on the bike... you'll get it done... but, not very efficiently.

Sounds like you have a reasonably well fitting windsurfing wetsuit... find an equally well or better fitting tri-specific wetsuit and you will see the difference?

FWIW Joe Moya

Edited by Joe M 2005-07-03 9:42 AM
2005-07-03 9:44 AM
in reply to: #189205

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Subject: RE: tri wetsuits vs. winsurf wetsuits

Have you swum your race distance in your windsurf wetsuit with no problems?  If you have, then I'd say just wear that one. 

I don't know the differences between windsurf wetsuits and tri wetsuits, but usually people are asking about DIVING wetsuits which are usually thicker and restrict arm movement to some extent, so trying to swim in them is very tiring.

2005-07-03 9:49 AM
in reply to: #189205

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Master
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Kingston Ontario
Subject: RE: tri wetsuits vs. winsurf wetsuits

I did my first tri in a non-tri wetsuit and found a lot of drag with it compared to a tri suit (which I now have)  I also had major chafing issues with it because it wasn't meant to swim in.  So it can be done, but comfort and efficiency might be better for you with a tri suit

Good luck!

Jen

2005-07-03 11:01 AM
in reply to: #189205

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Subject: RE: tri wetsuits vs. winsurf wetsuits
A lot of the difference is in the design. Swimming wetsuits have thinner material in places that need tomove like shoulders, arms, back of knees. the slick material is also supposed to be faster, though the folks at Promotion don't think that's necessarily true (I disagree).
2005-07-03 11:08 AM
in reply to: #189205

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Expert
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Subject: RE: tri wetsuits vs. winsurf wetsuits
It's kind of like a $100 mountain bike vs $1,000 road bike vs $10,000 TT bike. You can ride all of them in a tri but there is a difference. The question is how bad do you care about the difference. I would say wear the windsuit if it's comfortable but you are going to give up some speed.

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